WELCOME TO KETTLEBELL SCIENCE
DEDICATED TO FURTHERING THE SCIENCE OF KETTLEBELL TRAINING
"The motor control system is not organized to isolate and control single muscles, but rather is designed to control movements -
TRAIN MOVEMENT - NOT MUSCLE"
"The motor control system is not organized to isolate and control single muscles, but rather is designed to control movements -
TRAIN MOVEMENT - NOT MUSCLE"
What is Functional Training?
In today’s society, far too many direct their efforts towards training and isolating individual muscles. Isolating a muscle is purely a hypertrophy/bodybuilding approach. "Functional training incorporates the goal of enhancing strength throughout the body segment linkage."
Specifically, functional training involves (McGill, 2009, p. 28-29)
Specifically, functional training involves (McGill, 2009, p. 28-29)
- Intramuscular coordination of fibers within a muscle
- Intermuscular coordination between muscle groups
- Facililatory and inhibitory reflexive pathways
- Motor Learning
What is a Kettlebell
A kettlebell is a long-established Russian training tool that has been around for many centuries. "Thier origin is still a matter of speculation, but archaelogical records show evidence of thier use in Ancient Greece" (Sanchez, 2004, p.4). A kettlebell is a cast iron weight that looks like a cannon ball with a handle. The main advantage of training with kettlebells is that they incorporate both strength and cardiovascular training, blurring the line between the two.
The shape of the kettlebell allows for unique positioning of the weight directly above your center of mass and allows you to keep your hand and wrists in neutral alignment, which enable for greater endurance and longevity in the core lifts (swings, clean and press, snatches), so that you can produce a much higher volume of exercise and thus greater conditioning and fitness.
Because the center of mass on a kettlebell "swings", micro-muscle fibers are recruited to balance the kettlebell, recruiting more stabilizing musculature than would a dumbbell. Because more muscle groups are utilized in the swinging and movement of a kettlebell than during the lifting of dumbbells (particularly posterior chain and core muscles), a kettlebell workout is claimed to be more effective, and yields better results in less time.
If you're looking for much more than just hypertrophy (increasing the size of your muscles), such as in bodybuilding, but want a lean solid physique that is highly functional, then Kettlebells are for you!
The shape of the kettlebell allows for unique positioning of the weight directly above your center of mass and allows you to keep your hand and wrists in neutral alignment, which enable for greater endurance and longevity in the core lifts (swings, clean and press, snatches), so that you can produce a much higher volume of exercise and thus greater conditioning and fitness.
Because the center of mass on a kettlebell "swings", micro-muscle fibers are recruited to balance the kettlebell, recruiting more stabilizing musculature than would a dumbbell. Because more muscle groups are utilized in the swinging and movement of a kettlebell than during the lifting of dumbbells (particularly posterior chain and core muscles), a kettlebell workout is claimed to be more effective, and yields better results in less time.
If you're looking for much more than just hypertrophy (increasing the size of your muscles), such as in bodybuilding, but want a lean solid physique that is highly functional, then Kettlebells are for you!
BENEFITS OF KETTLEBELL TRAINING: ONLY THE SCIENCE
Western scientific studies have shown that Kettlebell Training…
· Meets industry recommendations for improving aerobic capacity (Porcari, 2010)
· Improves strength, power and endurance (Manocchia, 2010)
· Taxes both aerobic and anaerobic systems (Fung & Shore, 2010)
· Can be implemented in a clinical rehabilitation setting for athletes with lower extremity injuries
(Brunette & Mcira, 2010)
· Maintains health and improves overall fitness (Castellano, 2009)
· Positively impacts cardiorespiratory endurance and promotes changes in body composition
(Porcari, 2010)
· Provides a metabolic challenge of sufficient intensity to increase VO2max (Lanier, 2010).
· Can burn up to 20.2 calories per minute (Porcari, 2010)
· Increases musculoskeletal health by reducing neck, shoulder and low back pain, and increases
trunk extensor strength. (Jay et al, 2010)
· Is transferable to traditional weight training and bodyweight exercises and is an excellent
alternative to traditional weight lifting (Manocchia, 2010)
Russian studies have shown that kettlebell training...
· Improves balance, coordination and agility (Luchkin, 1947, Laputin, 1973)
· Increases overall strength, grip strength, strength endurance, pull-up capacity, parallel bar dips
ability, general endurance, work capacity and balance (Vinogradov & Lukyanov, 1986)
· Lowers heart rate and blood pressure (Shevtsova, 1993)
· “Enables one to quickly build strength, endurance, achieve a balanced development of all muscle
groups, fix particular deficiencies of build, and … promotes good health.” (Gomonov, 1998)
KETTELEBELL TRAINING:
Physiological Adaptations to the Cardiovascular-Respiratory System
The cardiovascular-respiratory system includes the heart, lungs blood vessels, and blood and can be categorized into central (heart & lungs) and peripheral (blood vessels & blood).
Adaptations to the cardiovascular-respiratory system while training with kettlebells include the following (Jay, 2009, p.12-13):
Central Effects
Circulatory System: Heart
Increased heart volume and weight
Increased elasticity of the heart (compliance/heart stretching easier)
Increased capillary density of the heart
Eccentric Hypertrophy of the heart (expansion of the heart walls)
Concentric Hypertrophy of the heart (thickening of the heart wall)
Increased left ventricular – End diastolic volume (LV-EDV)
Increased power in the contractile muscle fibers of the heart
Increased stroke volume during rest, sub-maximal and maximal exercise
Decreased resting heart rate, sub-maximal and maximal exercise heart rate
Increased volume of blood flow per minute during maximal exercise
Increased injection fraction
Decreased blood pressure
Decreased oxygen consumption at sub-maximal exercise level
Increased oxygen consumption at maximal exercise level
Increased baroreceptor sensitivity (receptors that detect blood pressure changes)
Respiration
Increased endurance and strength of respiratory muscles
Decreased ventilation at sub-maximal exercise intensity
Increased ventilation at maximal exercise intensity
Increased rate of oxygen transport from the lungs to the bloodstream
Peripheral Effects
Increased numbers of glucose transporters
Increased capillary density of muscles
Increased activity of aerobic ATP formation enzymatic activity
Increased blood flow to the muscles
Increased free fatty acid uptake from the blood
Decreased rate of lactic acid production at a given intensity level
Increased insulin sensitivity
Posterior Kinetic Chain
In North America, fitness enthusiasts and athletes alike, have been overly commited to training the front side of there body, i.e; chest, abs and quads, also known as the mirror muslces. However, the back side of the body is of equal importance for functional and esthetic reasons. Kettlebells not only train the back side, they promote coodination among all the muscles of the posterior kinetic chain.
So what exactly is your posterior kinetic chain? Well it is the most important set of muscles in your body and run up the back of your body. The posterior kinetic chain is a group of muscles, tendons, and ligaments on the back side of your body. The muscles of the posterior kinetic chain include the lower back, buttocks, hamstrings and calve muscles, or more precisely, the erector spinea, the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus, the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, biceps femoris, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles.
Training these muscles corrects posture, imbalances and reduces lower back pain among others.
So what exactly is your posterior kinetic chain? Well it is the most important set of muscles in your body and run up the back of your body. The posterior kinetic chain is a group of muscles, tendons, and ligaments on the back side of your body. The muscles of the posterior kinetic chain include the lower back, buttocks, hamstrings and calve muscles, or more precisely, the erector spinea, the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus, the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, biceps femoris, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles.
Training these muscles corrects posture, imbalances and reduces lower back pain among others.
6 Reasons Why Kettlebell Training is Great for Your Back
“60-80% of all individuals experience low-back pain at some point in their lives (Plowman & Smith, 2008, p. 560). Following is a list of 6 reasons why kettlebells are great for your back.
1. Kettlebell Training Strengthens the Gluteal Muscles
Superficail View - Gluteus Maximus
Individuals with low back dysfunction often exhibit “’gluteal amnesia’, and if not overcome with proper recruitment pattern practice, it is likely to lead to more back problems” (Janda, p.159) since the erector spinae musles have to compensate for the glutes in the lifting task. The Gluteal muscles are made up of the Gluteus Maximus, Medius, and Minimus. Kettlebell training strongly emphasizes the gluteal muscle group.
2. Kettlebell Exercises Promote Flexibility of the Hip Flexors
Weak glutes are associated with tight hip flexors . The major hip flexor muscles are the Ilopsoas (Illicus & psoas major), and the rectus femoris (one of four of the quadricep muscles). Overdeveloped and tight hip flexors contribute to lower back pain by causing the pelvis to tilt forward. To counteract this, kettlebells promote hip flexor flexibility and strengthen the abdominal muscles. This reduces pelvic tilt and decreases lower back pain.
3. Kettlebell Training Develops Back Extensor Endurance
The major back extensor muscles are the erector spinae group, which are the spinalis (medial), the longissimus (center) and iliocostalis (lateral). When it comes to the muscles of the back “lower back strength … does not appear to reduce the odds of back problems, muscular endurance does” (Luoto et al, 1995). “There is no better method for developing back extensor endurance than high repetition Kettlebell swings or snatches” (Pavel, 2007, p.159)
4. "Bracing" is Superior to "Hollowing" for Spinal Stability
There is much debate over what is a better practice for preventing lower back injuries while performing exercises, “bracing” your abdominal wall, vs. “hollowing” (pulling your navel in towards your spine). The RKC school of thought argues that bracing is superior, and references the Ulitimate Back Fitness and Performance author Dr. Mcgill, leading spine biomechanist in the world. For more info on this, see www.backfitpro.com
5. Sensible Ballistic Loading Reduces the Odds of Arthritis
Repetitive ballistic loading of kettlebell swings and other quick lifts appears to be highly beneficial to your joints, provided you do not over do it. “Joints subjected to heavy impact are relatively free of osteoarthritis in old age and those subjected to much lower loading experience a greater incidence of osteoarthritis and cartilage fibrillation….It appears that the cartilage of joints subjected to regular impulsive loading with relatively high contact stresses is mechanically much stiffer and better adapted to withstand the exceptional loading of running or jumping than the softer cartilage associated with low loading. Thus, joint cartilage subjected to regular repetitive loading remains healthy and copes very well with impulsive loads, whereas cartilage that is heavily loaded infrequently softens…the collagen network loses its cohesion and the cartilage deteriorates.” (Verkhoshansky & Siff 1998, p.50)
6. Kettlebell Exercises are Great for Strengthening the Mulitfidus Muscle
Weakness in this small intrinsic spine muscle has been linked to back problems. "Kettlebell exercises ... safely recruit and strengthen the multifidus" (McNamura, 2010, p. 2).
Back Problems and Kettlebell Training
Kettlebell Training is not only great for you back, it prevents and corrects existing back problems. However, if you have any issues such as spinal stenosis, spondylothesis, osteoporosis, mechanical back dysfunction or any other spinal, back, joint or cardiovascular issue, you must get the approval of your doctor before begining a kettlebell training regime. See "pre-participation forms" under the Kettlebell Bootcamp tab for further information.
